I read on the University of Georgia extension site that free-range hens only lay about 15% fewer eggs per year, but their mortality rate jumps from like 3% to over 30% from predators. Which do you prioritize - better production with safety, or more natural behavior with higher risk?
I have a 2 year old Rhode Island Red named Penny who lays like clockwork. She stopped laying for about a week and I wasted 2 full days checking for mites and changing feed. On day 3 I finally noticed a small bump under her vent. Turns out she had a hard bound egg stuck. I gave her a warm bath and some calcium and she passed it the next morning. Has anyone else missed something obvious with their hens?
I started giving my girls dried mealworms as a treat a few weeks ago... maybe a handful each day. Then I noticed they were leaving their layer pellets untouched and just scratching around for the worms. Turns out they were holding out for the good stuff. I cut the worms completely for 3 days and they finally went back to eating their regular feed. Now I only give mealworms maybe twice a week, and just a few per hen. Anyone else have their chickens get picky after a treat?
Bought a pack of those padded nesting box liners from a farm supply place last month. They were supposed to make cleaning easier and keep eggs clean. After two days my hens had shredded them all and kicked the pieces into the run. Stuck with basic straw now and it works fine. Anyone else had bad luck with those things or did I just get a bad brand?
I was chatting with a buddy from my 4H club about my hens' feather condition last month. He asked if I was giving them any grit, and I admitted I only used layer crumbles. He said, "Chickens need grit to digest their food properly, even with pellets." I bought a bag of granite grit from Tractor Supply that weekend and mixed it into their feed. Their droppings look much better now, and their feathers are shinier. What other small feed additions have made a big difference for your flock?
So I was at the feed store in Salem last Tuesday and this lady was telling the clerk she only gives her hens layer pellets, nothing else. No scraps, no scratch grains, no oyster shells on the side. I wanted to say something but kept my mouth shut. My own flock gets a mix of pellets, kitchen veggie scraps, and free range time, and they seem way healthier. Has anyone else tried just pellets and seen good results or am I right to be skeptical?
I was just tallying up the cartons for a neighbor and the number stopped me. That's over 15 eggs per bird, which is way above the average for my Barred Rocks. I realized it happened right after I finally switched their feed to a higher-protein layer pellet from the local feed mill. The timing seems too exact to be a coincidence. Has anyone else seen a jump like that after changing feed?
I was getting so many cracked eggs, then I started mixing a crushed oyster shell supplement into their feed every morning. The difference is night and day. Anyone have a favorite brand or a different calcium source that works for them?
I started with 6 hens in my Portland backyard 8 years ago on a quarter acre, and now I see setups with 10 birds in urban lots half that size. What's the smallest space you've made work for your birds?
I mean, I ran my coop on a deep litter setup for like 3 years because everyone said it was the best thing ever. What tipped me off was last fall when I finally cleaned it all out, the ammonia smell was so strong it made my eyes water, even with good ventilation. I realized I was just piling more stuff on top of a wet, compacted base instead of letting it truly compost. Now I do a modified shallow clean out every 4 to 6 weeks and my girls seem way happier. Has anyone else found that deep litter just doesn't work in their humid climate?
He said it kept his flock healthy and I finally tried it last spring with my six hens. After about two weeks, I noticed their feathers looked way shinier and their energy was up. Anyone else use this trick and see a difference, or is it just a coincidence?
I was digging through a box at my grandpa's place in Ohio and found his dad's chicken keeping notes. He wrote that his hens laid about 150 eggs a year back then. My modern hybrid girls give me over 300 each, easy. It really hit me how much breeding has changed the simple backyard hen. Makes me wonder if we've traded some hardiness for all those eggs. What's the oldest chicken tip or fact you've come across?
Last week, after three days of heavy rain, I found my favorite hen, Mabel, looking weak and discovered she had a nasty case of bumblefoot that I'd missed because her feet were always muddy, so please check your birds' feet carefully after wet weather and has anyone else dealt with this?
I always thought my Rhode Island Red, Bertha, was just a bad layer because she'd only give us two eggs a week. After reading a post here, I moved the nesting boxes to a much darker corner of the coop last month. Now she's up to five eggs a week, no joke. Has moving something simple like a box ever fixed a big problem for your flock?
I was out there last weekend and they have this huge walk-in coop with a covered run. What got me was they built a little sandbox area inside the run, and the hens were all dust bathing in it. They said it helps keep mites down and the chickens love it. Has anyone tried adding something like that, and does it actually work that well?
I tried it for a full month and she never gave up, so I had to break her myself with a wire cage. Has anyone actually had that trick work long term?
But my Buff Orpington, Mabel, got a foot injury and needed to stay inside for a week. A friend lent me one, and it actually kept my couch totally clean. Has anyone else had to use these for a real reason?
They said my single small window wasn't enough for 8 hens, and after a hot week last month, I saw what they meant. I added two more screened vents up high and the difference in air flow is night and day. Has anyone else had to fix a ventilation setup after their flock grew?
The plastic latch was a joke, and now I'm back to square one with feed all over the ground. Anyone have a truly raccoon-proof brand they'd swear by?
I was helping my neighbor in Akron move some lumber last fall when I saw his coop had a gap under the door big enough for a raccoon to slip through. He said 'It's been fine for two years, they can't get in,' but I found three of his hens dead just a week later. How often do you all check for gaps in your coop's defenses?
After adding a dedicated 3x3 foot box with a 50/50 mix of sand and wood ash in the corner of the run last spring, we went from treating individual birds every few weeks to not seeing a single case of scaly leg mites in over 8 months.
For two years I thought my 1-inch chicken wire was enough to keep predators out, especially from above. Then last Tuesday I saw a red-tailed hawk land right on top of the run and try to reach through with its talons. The wire held, but it bent easily under its weight, and I realized a bigger, determined bird could rip right in. I immediately swapped it out for half-inch hardware cloth over the whole top, which cost about $80 extra. Has anyone else had a close call that made you upgrade your setup in a hurry?
I used a simple hanging feeder for my flock of 8 hens for about a year. Last month I finally bought a treadle feeder from a local farm store for $85. The difference is crazy, the wild birds and squirrels can't get to it anymore and the girls aren't scattering food everywhere. I'm saving almost a full 50lb bag of feed every three weeks now. Anyone else have a specific change that cut down on waste this much?
Had a real problem with egg eating in my flock of six. Tried the usual stuff, more nest box straw, nothing worked. Saw a tip online about using fake ceramic eggs. Bought a pack of four for about $12. Put them in the boxes, and after a few pecks, the girls gave up. Anyone else try something like this with good results?
He was bragging about how he just tosses new chickens right in with his flock to 'toughen them up'. I lost two hens last fall to what I'm sure was something brought in by a bird I didn't isolate long enough. It took weeks to clear up and cost me over $80 in vet-recommended treatments. What's the shortest quarantine period you all actually stick to?